Florida Referral Agent Website Disclosures And Footer Language For 2026

A referral-only website can feel simple, but compliance is rarely simple. If you're a Florida licensee who only sends clients to other agents, your site still counts as advertising. That means your identity and role must be clear.

This guide breaks down Florida referral agent disclosures for 2026 in plain English, with footer language you can copy, paste, and adjust. It also flags common gray areas that create complaints.

Nothing below is legal advice. Rules and interpretations can change, so have your broker, a Florida real estate attorney, or a compliance professional review your final wording.

Florida does not appear to have a special "referral-only website footer rule" that applies only to referral agents as of March 2026. Instead, the same general standards apply to all real estate advertising: don't mislead, identify the brokerage and licensee clearly, and follow Florida Statutes and FREC rules.

To verify the current language yourself, start with the DBPR resource hub for real estate laws and rules and the state's compiled law book:

• DBPR Real Estate Commission statutes and rules
• Florida Real Estate Law Book (Chapter 475 and FREC rules)

In practice, your website should make it obvious that you are licensed, who you are licensed with, and what you actually do. Think of your footer like a store sign. If someone can't tell who runs the site, they're more likely to complain when expectations don't match reality.

Here's a quick way to think about "must show" versus "smart to show" on a referral-only site:

One more point: even if you never show a home, a Referral-Only Real Estate Agent website can still create the impression you're offering full service. Your disclosures should reduce that risk.

The goal is clarity, not legal-sounding text. Use your brokerage's exact legal name, and match your license type (sales associate or broker associate, if applicable). If your broker requires a specific format, follow that first.

Plain-English why: This tells visitors you're licensed, who you're with, and that you only do referrals.
Compliance rationale: It reduces the chance your site is seen as misleading advertising because your role is stated up front.

Plain-English why: People get the "what you do" in seconds, and the referral fee note prevents surprises later.
Compliance rationale: Clear role statements help avoid implied services. The referral fee sentence supports transparency, especially when your site includes lead capture.

Plain-English why: This spells out the boundaries, so consumers don't assume you're "their agent" for the deal.
Compliance rationale: A detailed scope statement helps defend against claims that you held yourself out as a transaction agent. It also fits well on a disclosure page linked in the footer.

If your homepage has a "Get matched with an agent" form, add one short sentence directly under the submit button:

Plain-English why: People often skim pages but read what's next to the button.
Compliance rationale: This reduces reliance problems, because the disclosure appears at the decision point.

If you ever post a property for sale or rent that you personally own (even on a blog post), add:

Plain-English why: It prevents the "you didn't tell me you were the owner" complaint.
Compliance rationale: Florida rules and ethics standards strongly expect licensees to disclose their licensed status in personal interest situations. Confirm the exact wording with your broker.

A footer is necessary, but it's not the whole story. Most complaints start when the website, email, and intake process don't line up.

Use the same identification in these places:

• Your website footer and contact page
• Your email signature (especially if you send introductions)
• Any landing page used for ads
• Social bios that point to your website

Consistency matters because consumers often enter through a single page, not your home page.

If you say "we negotiate" or "our team lists," readers may assume you have an active sales team. If you're referral-only, keep wording simple: "I refer," "I introduce," "I connect," and "I follow up on referral status."

If you collect names, emails, or phone numbers, tell visitors what happens next. If you share that data with a partner agent to complete the referral, say so. If you sell data (or plan to), don't hide it.

A plain sentence can do a lot of work:

Match that sentence to your actual process. If you don't share until they consent, say that instead.

Your written referral agreement and your site should tell the same story. If your agreement says you don't provide services beyond referral, your web copy shouldn't offer pricing opinions, negotiation help, or contract guidance.

For Florida licensing source material and updates, keep an eye on the DBPR pages linked earlier:
DBPR Real Estate Commission statutes and rules and the Florida Real Estate Law Book.

A referral-only website should read like a clear label on a jar. When visitors know what's inside, they don't feel tricked later. If you keep your identity, brokerage, and referral-only role obvious, your disclosures do their job.

Before you publish, confirm final wording with your broker and a Florida real estate attorney or compliance professional.

• Add brokerage legal name to the footer on every page.
• Add your name and Florida license status (sales associate or broker associate).
• State "referral-only" in the footer and on your main lead capture page.
• Place a referral fee sentence where clients will see it (footer or disclosure page).
• Add a "not hiring me to represent you" line under lead form buttons.
• Remove any copy that suggests you list, show, negotiate, or manage transactions.
• Confirm your wording matches your written referral agreement process.
• Review current Florida rules using the DBPR statutes and rules page and the law book PDFs.
• Have your broker or compliance reviewer approve the final site text.